Here in the states Safelite makes them as OEM replacements, we had ours done in the OB and it was just under 300 installed (in the parking lot at my wife's work) witih the heating elements. The ins co said that the cost for one from the dealer is so high due to shipping charges. The Safelite one was very good the only difference was the way the pattern was above the rear view mirror, the OB had a lot of screen dots there the SafeLite one looked like slightly larger dots. Everything else seemed the same.

Normally they say that if the crack is too big to be covered with a dollar bill you will need to replace the windscreen. As far as hooking up the heating elements, they are also part of he heated side view mirrors (same circut) You'd need the mirrors, switch, relays an other stuff. Not to mention pulling the dash off to set the wiring in place. Not sure it's worth the trouble. While the heated windscreen is OK it's not worth going through all that trouble to install it.

Well, I get to join the windshield club. I got SLAMMED by a fist-sized rock on the freeway today, totally shattered the windshield. It's still in place and drivable, but barely, so I've covered it with clear packing tape just to try and hold it till I get it replaced. I'm actually surpised it didn't come right through with how solid this hit was.

As frustrating as this is, I suppose I am lucky. There was a girl out here last week who had a chunk of concrete come off a truck in front of her, fly through the windshield, and hit her smack in the face. She will never be the same, likely going to lose at least one eye. It's dangerous out there. I've had my Forester just over two years now, and this will be my first replacement. I've always heard a lot on here about how weak Subaru windshields seem to be, but mine held up OK, just a few tiny chips. And with this hit, I don't think ANY windshield would have survived.

Got an estimate already from dealer of $877. Glad to see people are getting OEM replacements for much cheaper than that. I'll be making some calls and update here with what it ends up costing me.

Also, does anybody know CA insurance requirements on windshields? I checked with my carrier, AAA, and they said I've got jack. I've got a $500 deductible, so if it is more than that I can make a claim under my comprehensive, but otherwise I get to eat the whole thing. I seem to remember talk on the boards about insurance companies are required to cover at least one windshield replacement per year, so people aren't tempted to drive around with broken windshields? Anybody know, or is that just wishful thinking on my part?

Last summer when I bought my xt I ended up getting a crack that ran up throught the heating elements so they never even worked for the first winter I had the car. I don't know if this was from a stone chip or not as I had the same type of crack on my wrx in the exact same place. Many wrx's apparently had this in the same place.

I wonder if I could get my windshield replaced with one that doesn't have a heating element(would the hook ups get in the way?).

I have had to replace 3 windshields in a year and half two because of rock hits that cracked really bad and one because of defect. I used Saflite for all of them. I also decided to go without the heating element because it was to expensive. It never really worked very good anyway.

lunajett: I'm currently in the same boat as you (except my windshield isn't quite shattered, but has a major crack in it after getting smacked by a rock on a freeway onramp), and I haven't even fielded any inquiries yet with my insurance carrier. Right now my car is perfectly driveable, the crack is limited to the top part of the windshield and out of my field of vision, but eventually I'm looking at biting the bullet as well. I'd be interested in your findings re: insurance coverage. Roo got me a quote for a replacement windshield for just under $500 (installed), but that's for aftermarket glass (PPG). OEM comes in far more expensive. I'm thinking that I might go the route of getting one without the heater element because it's practically useless here in CA anyways. That might bring the price down a bit.

Another thing, when my windshields on my wrx and forester started to crack I put on something called bullseye (bought it at canadian tire) and it stopped the crack. It is a liquid in a syringe. It does say not to use on cracks, only stone chips, but it stopped the crack on my wrx from spreading for over 2 years, and my forester for about 7 months now.

And I think it was only about 15 dollars canadian, you could probabaly fix hundreds of stone chips with 1 syringe.

I had my XT's windshield cracked twice within three months; I had it replaced the first time but have been driving with the second crack for more than three months now as it doesn't really obstruct my field of vision.

Both cracks originated in the same location though - a rock chip on the heating element, just to the right of the instrument panel. Both spread identically in a sideways 'L' pattern across the passenger side of the windshield.

Call it bad luck, call it bad glass, whichever... I'm glad to read that there are other options aside from the dealership for an OEM glass substitute. Even though my comprehensive insurance covered it last time, I hated seeing that service department get a $900 check.

No one here has full glass coverage in their insurance policies? I've never been without it as the highways around here are full of trucks carrying stones, dirt, etc. We also have horrible winters here with salt trucks pelting your car on the highway. I just checked my policy and it cost me $77/yr for full glass coverage on the XT. Only $55/yr for my wife's Corolla. I used it at least three times so far on my old cars (2 or 3 full replacements and 1 chip repair). Well worth it for me.

IIRC, when b4437 had a rock fly into his windshield on the highway, he paid closer to $600 Canadian installed. I don't think his comprehensive coverage was low enough to cover the cost of the replacement.